Animal Health Corridor to convene annual meeting in Kansas City

The KC Animal Health Corridor isn’t just about livestock or large-animal research. This year, it’s putting special focus on smaller animals, including pets.

At its 11th annual dinner Monday night, Corridor leaders will announce a new initiative to support “the animal-human bond,” particularly a nonprofit that works with service animals. The recipient will be revealed later.

The Corridor, which represents the animal health industry from Columbia and St. Joseph to Manhattan, Kan., and draws meeting participants from around the world, also will launch a new education initiative Monday.

The event is billed as a “market insight seminar” designed to help animal health marketing and brand managers improve their sales tactics and strategies, said Kimberly Young, Corridor president.

On Tuesday, the Corridor will sponsor its eighth annual investment forum at which early- and midstage companies in the animal health sector present their business plans to potential investors and partners.

Seventeen companies have been chosen to present their plans at the 2016 forum before an expected attendance of about 400, including presenters and investors from around the world.

The Corridor events at the Kansas City Convention Center are being held in conjunction with CVC Kansas City, a continuing education convention for the veterinary industry, that is expected to bring about 5,600 attendees to the city.

The Corridor represents more than 300 companies and 20,000 people working in the animal health industry. According to the organization, companies with a location in the corridor represent 56 percent of total worldwide animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales.

Since the Corridor was organized in 2006, it knows of 46 new companies that have relocated to the region, adding nearly 2,000 new jobs. New companies have come from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, India, Belgium, Ireland and Germany, as well as from around the United States.

Corridor officials said they are in current discussions with 21 more possible projects or relocations.